Question

Veteran technical support staff members feel that their services are _____ by the use of computer programs to do the same work; they claim that technical support can't be provided procedurally but rather is a case-by-case effort that requires a skill set built upon training and experience. a. devalued b. tarnished c. ridiculed d vituperated e. impaired

Short answer

a. devalued.

Step-by-step solution

Identify Key Information

Read the sentence carefully. Notice that the staff members' services are being described in a negative way due to the use of computer programs.

Understand Context

Understand that the staff members claim that their work can't be replaced by programs and that it requires skill, training, and experience.

Choose the Correct Answer

Find the option that means the staff members' services are undervalued or diminished because of the computer programs. Options 'ridiculed,' 'tarnished,' and 'vituperated' all imply negative connotations but in a way that is not related to being undervalued. 'Impaired' means weakened, but it does not fit perfectly with context of feeling undervalued. 'Devalued' fits best as it means to diminish in value.

Key concepts

Vocabulary Skills

Building robust vocabulary skills is crucial to mastering GRE verbal sections. In the provided exercise, the words given as choices ('devalued,' 'tarnished,' 'ridiculed,' 'vituperated,' and 'impaired') each carry different negative connotations. It's important to understand these differences to choose the most accurate answer.

For example:

• Devalued: means diminished in value or importance.
• Tarnished: refers to something losing its shine or reputation being damaged.
• Ridiculed: means subjected to mockery.
• Vituperated: involves harsh criticism or verbal abuse.
• Impaired: means weakened or damaged.

Knowing the specific meanings can help you make precise selections in context and improve your overall vocabulary skills for the GRE.

Exam Preparation

Effective exam preparation involves understanding the types of questions and the approach needed to solve them. In GRE vocabulary questions, you need to:

• Read the sentence carefully for context clues.
• Identify key phrases that indicate whether the word should have a positive or negative connotation.
• Eliminate choices that do not fit logically.
• Select the word that best matches the context.

For instance, in the provided question, understanding that the services are viewed negatively because they are replaced by programs helps narrow down the correct answer. Hence, 'devalued' makes perfect sense as it succinctly describes the perception conveyed by the staff members.

Contextual Understanding

Contextual understanding is the ability to determine the implied meaning of words based on surrounding text. It is essential for solving GRE vocabulary questions effectively. In the example exercise, contextual clues such as 'services are _____ by the use of computer programs' imply a negative impact. This tells us to look for a word that means reducing the importance or value of the staff's services.

The steps to improve contextual understanding include:

• Identifying the tone of the sentence (positive, negative, neutral).
• Looking for specifics that hint at the meaning (like 'skills built upon training and experience').
• Connecting each choice back to the main idea of the sentence.

Improving your contextual understanding will make you more adept at choosing the most precise word in exercises like these.

Technical Support Staff

Understanding the subtleties of roles such as technical support staff is vital in contextual comprehension. Such staff members often possess a wealth of knowledge gained through experience and training, which can't easily be replicated by automated systems or computer programs. The given exercise highlights this by indicating that technical support is more complex and personalized.

Key Takeaways:

• Technical support often involves problem-solving skills developed over time.
• Automation might simplify tasks but can't entirely replace human expertise.
• Words used in context, like 'devalued,' should reflect the essence of the argument made by the staff members.

Recognizing these nuances helps in better understanding and correctly interpreting vocabulary questions.